1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to the field of electrochemical power sources. More particularly, the present invention relates to a series of battery adapters allowing for survivability equipment to be operated with commercial batteries.
2. Background of the Invention
The military services have employed non-rechargeable batteries for airborne survivability equipment, such as survival radios. Survival radios provide critical rescue locator information for pilots and aircraft crew stranded in dangerous locations. Non-rechargeable batteries can be used only once and then must be discarded. The critical need for reliable airborne survival radios requires a sizeable inventory of nonrechargeable batteries and large battery replacement costs. Providing reliable electrical power for airborne survivability equipment with non-rechargeable power sources has led to a number of disadvantages, shortcomings and limitations.
One solution to the limitations of non-rechargeable power sources, which will also increase the probability of safer pilot rescue, is to provide power for airborne survival equipment for significantly longer time periods than possible with non-rechargeable batteries. Such a solution would also lower the cost of operating and maintaining different types of survival equipment and survival radios.
Several alternative power sources have been investigated. For example, solar cells are now being tested as a source of energy for these radios. It is the last source of energy that a pilot would use after battery sources of energy have been drained. The solar cells, while limited in use, would enhance the probability of a successful rescue mission, but solar cells are generally expensive. Similarly, other existing sources of energy, such as zinc air power packs and fuel cells might reduce battery costs and, working in conjunction with solar cells, may extend the time a pilot can operate survivability equipment/radio. Solar cells provide a potential solution to the power needs for survivability equipment, however a number of other solutions have also been explored.
Commercially available batteries could offer numerous advantages as a low cost source of reliable electrical power, but they have never been utilized in the demanding airborne equipment survivability equipment. Significant cost reductions for the military departments would be obtained if non-rechargeable survival radios batteries were replaced with proven rechargeable battery technology. Since rechargeable batteries are by their very nature reusable, they reduce the overall demand for non-rechargeable batteries. This lowers both the acquisition, supply and disposal costs associated with rechargeable battery use. The resulting cost benefits from employing commercial batteries include reduced field demand for non-rechargeable batteries and reduced inventory at the unit and depot level, making the commercial battery more cost effective and fully mission capable with greater reliability.
However, neither commercial batteries nor their associated chargers and cables are compatible with airborne survivability equipment designed to meet demanding critical performance and environmental parameters. The long-felt need for a reliable power source that is compatible with the demands of airborne survivability equipment has been met by providing a group of battery adapters that allow airborne survivability equipment to operate with commercially available rechargeable batteries. This invention""s preferred embodiment combines the battery adapters of the present invention with the AN/PRC-90 and AN/PRC-112 A-C survival radios to provide additional battery capabilities and significant cost advantages, without suffering from the disadvantages, shortcomings and limitations of non-rechargeable batteries. None of the prior art survival equipment power systems include a rugged container compatible with commercially available batteries and an adapter that includes surge protection, voltage regulation and voltage conversion devices.
The two main survival radios used by the military departments today are the AN/PRC-90 and the AN/PRC-112. The prior art power source for the AN/PRC-90 is the military unique BA-5368 non-rechargeable battery. Similarly, the prior art power source for the AN/PRC-112 radio is the military-unique BA-5112 non-rechargeable battery. The battery adapters of the present invention allow replacing those current non-rechargeable BA-5368 and BA-5112 batteries with a rechargeable battery configuration that also reduces energy costs. Adding a rugged folding solar panel or introducing a reserve zinc-air battery to supplement the rechargeable battery can both add additional critical survivability.
The AN/PRC-90 survival radio battery adapter of the present invention comprises a battery compartment, a coupler and an adapter assembly to connect the battery compartment to the radio, with the battery compartment containing commercially available rechargeable batteries, such as 10 1.5-volt zinc/KOH/MnO2 battery cells in a rugged, waterproof compartment. The AN/PRC-90 adapter assembly also includes a number of circuits and devices for conserving battery strength. The prior art survival equipment power systems do not provide commercially available batteries and an adapter that includes surge protection, voltage regulation and voltage conversion devices encased in a rugged container.
One variation to the AN/PRC-90 survival radio battery adapter is to attach the battery compartment directly to the AN/PRC-112 D survival radio so that this radio can also operate with commercial batteries. The battery compartment fits both survival radios and provides them with a rugged waterproof environment.
The general object of the invention is to provide an airborne survivability equipment battery adapter that allows airborne survivability equipment to operate with commercially available rechargeable batteries.
Another object of the invention is to provide an airborne survivability equipment battery adapter that allows airborne survivability radios to operate with commercially available rechargeable batteries.
A further object of the invention is to provide an airborne survivability equipment battery adapter for the AN/PRC-90 airborne survivability radio to operate with commercially available rechargeable batteries.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an airborne survivability equipment battery adapter for the AN/PRC-112 airborne survivability radio to operate with commercially available rechargeable batteries.
A more particular object of this invention is to provide an airborne survivability equipment battery adapter for the AN/PRC-90 airborne survivability radio to operate with commercially available rechargeable batteries with an adapter assembly that also includes a number of circuits and devices for conserving battery strength, to provide significant additional battery capabilities and the significant cost advantages from using commercially available batteries, without suffering from the disadvantages., shortcomings and limitations of non-rechargeable batteries.
Until now, survival equipment power systems have not included a rugged container compatible with commercially available batteries and an adapter that includes surge protection, voltage regulation and voltage conversion devices.
Accordingly, the aforementioned objects can be attained by providing an AN/PRC-90 survival radio battery adapter comprising a battery compartment, an adapter coupler, an adapter means having surge protection, voltage regulator and voltage conversion devices, with the adapter coupler being connected to the battery compartment containing sufficient commercially available re-chargeable batteries. In another embodiment, this invention provides an airborne survivability equipment battery adapter for airborne survivability equipment comprising the same battery compartment devices so that the AN/PRC-112 survivability radio operates with commercially available rechargeable batteries, but with a different configuration of power management devices.